Contact: Steve Lyons, WEA Trust
Telephone: (608) 661-6729
(608) 220-7478—Cell
E-mail: slyons@weatrust.com
Madison— The WEA Trust was given approval by the Wisconsin Group Insurance Board (GIB) on August 28, 2012, to be in the State Group Health Insurance Program (state health plan) for state and other public employees in 56 counties, seven more than 2012. The Trust was designated by the GIB as a Tier 1 option, the lowest cost tier, demonstrating the Trust’s price competitiveness in Wisconsin’s health insurance market. With the expansion to 56 counties in 2013, the WEA Trust covers more counties than any other insurer in the state plan for the second year in a row.
Six counties—Adams, Juneau, Langlade, Lincoln, Menominee, and Taylor—and hundreds of additional providers join the WEA Trust Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) East Service Area, which now totals 37 counties and covers much of east-central Wisconsin. Clark County joins the WEA Trust PPO Northwest Service Area, which became an option for state and local government employees in 18 northwest Wisconsin counties last year.
In order to be placed in Tier 1, the Trust must be competitive in pricing and quality for the Uniform Benefits offered in the state health plan.
“Today, nearly 23,000 local and state employees and their families are insured by the WEA Trust through the State Health Plan,” said Mark Moody, WEA Trust President and CEO. “We began the process to enter the state plan in 2009. It is a natural fit for our organization as we adapt to the changing market. We’ve been protecting the health of public employees for over 40 years. We were very pleased with our State Health Plan enrollment in 2011 and 2012 and are happy to be further broadening our coverage to serve even more public employees in 2013.”
Current state plan subscribers may switch from their existing health plan into the WEA Trust PPO during the state’s enrollment period, from October 8 through November 2. School districts and other local governments can also choose to participate in the state’s Group Health Insurance Program through the Wisconsin Public Employers program.
The WEA Trust is a not-for-profit, independent company offering group health insurance and other insurance products from its headquarters in Madison, Wis.
For more information, visit weatruststatehealthplan.com
